


Before We're Lost

by HawkeyedPoet



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 16:10:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3296570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkeyedPoet/pseuds/HawkeyedPoet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inquisitor and Cullen have a strange morning thanks to the hole in Cullen's roof. Takes place sometime between the date at the lake and end game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before We're Lost

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't stop thinking about that damned hole in Cullen's roof, and I wanted to write something that also touched on how daunting it would be to think about the future.

The Inquisitor and her Commander, Cullen Rutherford were both sleeping soundly in Cullen’s loft bed. It was a rare night that they could spend together, and even rarer still a night where they both slept soundly. It was not to last though. With a sudden “fwomp” a roll of parchment was dropped unceremoniously from the gaping hole in the commander’s ceiling. 

Daine woke with a start dragging Cullen out of sleep with her as she sat straight up and her cold magic crackled in her fingers. “It’s alright I think.” the Commander muttered with a hand tentatively placed on her shoulder after he sat up to join her. “It’s just Leliana’s birds I think.” Daine let her magic die, and apologized. Cullen dismissed her apology with a short shake of his head, and reached out an arm to the nearest bird. 

Daine watched as Cullen scratched the bird’s chest gently, and spoke quiet words to it. She had never seen anyone other than Leliana herself take a moment to stroke the messengers that were always seen flying to and fro across Skyhold and beyond. It made her smile. “Do they always visit you in bed then?” she asked with a smirk, as one of what she could now see were four birds perched itself on her knee. Cullen chuckled quietly from deep in his chest and rubbed the back of his neck as he read one of the letters. 

“No… No I’m afraid I don’t usually sleep in this late.” he said, and he took a moment to place a kiss on her forehead. Daine looked up past the tree partially hanging in the ceiling and saw stars still glittering just beyond it. 

“Cullen, it’s an hour at least until dawn. How much do you sleep?” she asked taking the parchments from the pile that he had accumulated, and noted that even though the birds had delivered all their messages they still waited expectantly. Surrounding his bed like some parody of dogs begging for their supper at the table. “And, are your friends waiting for something?” she slid over the meager space between them and popped her chin on his shoulder. She felt him laugh under his breath again. 

“Yes, I keep some treats for them in my desk. And I sleep as much as I need to. A few hours.” He bumped his head once on hers and stretched before climbing out of the bed and dressing himself quickly in a tunic and trousers. She watched him go, as he slid down the ladder to his office and his little flock of birds swooped after him. 

“That’s very Fereldan of you.” Daine said making to follow him after she’d dressed herself in last night’s clothes. 

“Oh?” he said. A nervous blush tinting just his ears and his neck. The birds were now hopping excitedly in a way Daine was sure Leliana would disapprove of. Soon though they’d all had their treats and they flew off past her shoulder and out the roof quickly blending into the dark sky beyond it. 

“We really could acquire a mabari for you, Cullen. Or a kitten perhaps? A proper pet…” She really couldn’t help teasing him when he blushed like that. When he smiled without reservation. When he was her commander. No armor to stand between them. Just his smile, and his hair still mussed from the night falling almost into his eyes. Her comment made him smile more broadly, and what were certainly very important papers were left forgotten on his desk. 

“Well. Which would you prefer?” Cullen was leaning against his desk now, arms folded across his chest while he peered at her with his head bowed just slightly. It was a habit he had when his hair wasn’t restrained and forced to behave. Rather than push the rebellious strands out of his eyes he tried to look around them. A habit that made heat rise in the Inquisitor’s chest. She closed the distance between them now, and played with the hair on the back of his neck. 

“Commander.” she took a steadying breath and looked into his eyes. “Does it… It doesn’t frighten you to think of what will happen after this is over?” she asked. His hand met her free one and clasped it despite the tendrils of cold that were starting to rise from her palm again. His fingertips worried the mark on her hand. It’s green light faded with no breaches nearby. 

“Of course it does.” he said in a whisper. “Every time you ride out of here. Every morning I wake up without you here because you’re saving the world. I worry I won’t.” he cleared is throat and his free hand made to rub at the back of his neck again. “I worry we won’t have a chance to…” He stopped again and sighed. The Commander had stuttered less after their night spent at the lake, but he feared it would come back in force now as he tried to explain. He knew their future was uncertain, but he knew also that he didn’t care. He was hers, and he wished to be always. 

The Inquisitor stepped in to save him. “We should have a dog I think. A Ferelden Commander of the Inquisition with a cat would just seem silly. A cat wouldn’t look too fondly on your strange affinity for birds either.” She untangled her hands from his, and turned making her way back up the ladder. “Come back up with me, we have a little while yet before the dawn comes and our presence is undoubtedly be required elsewhere.” 

The Commander joined her, and they made the most of their time together. Clothing forgotten once more. The dawn of course would come. It always did.


End file.
